Christians, like any group of people, spread out across a spectrum. At one end of the spectrum there are Fundamentalist Christians and Evangelical Christians. In the middle there are Devout Christians and Practicing Christians. At the other end there are Christmas Christians and Casual Christians.

The problem is that the Fundamentalist Christians and Evangelical Christians truly are insane. There is no doubt about this – their delusion is insanity, and the insanity manifests itself in myriad ways, as we will see in a moment.

The further problem is that the Christmas Christians and Casual Christians give Christianity an overwhelming mass in our society, and therefore provide harborage for the insanity.

From that article, here is a quote by James Dobson, a prominent Evangelical leader:

The spanking should be of sufficient magnitude to cause the child to cry genuinely. After the emotional ventilation, the child will often want to crumple to the breast of his parent, and he should be welcomed with open, warm, loving arms.

Beating a person – any person – is torture. It is wrong. Beating a defenseless child is insanity. In most sane places, body blows like this would be seen and charged as assault. But Fundamentalist Christians and Evangelical Christians are insane, and they see beating their children as something good that is commanded by their imaginary God. And unfortunately, Christians are a majority in America so their insane child abuse goes unchallenged.

Are you a casual Christian? Those of us who are sane and rational beg you – abandon the insanity. The people who follow this imaginary God are insane, and in many cases they are violent and repulsive, as demonstrated above. Please take the time to read things like Whywontgodhealamputees.com and come to your senses. Give up this childish delusion and become a rational, thinking adult. Run away from the insanity so that these people lose the safe harbor you give them.

I am going to assume the wrath of the man who created this website is an atheist; perhaps an amputee. Well sir, I first want to say I take offense to you calling me, a Christian, “delusional”. Name calling and put downs are childish yet you say believing in God is childish. You have a lot to learn. Have you seen this world? There is no good in this world. The Bible warns multiple times not to be “worldly”. I believe in a God who is alive and real. You and I are mere specks on this earth my friend. Our minds cannot even grasp the magnitude of this one planet which we live on. 5,000 college degrees cannot come close to the rationality of God.

I myself, hold a Bachelors of Science degree. My favorite subject is Biology. I love learning about evolution but science does not solve anything. I beg you to solve your existence. Prove that you are real. You cannot. Thus, I cannot prove to you that God is real. But he is. I promise you. I ask all of my atheist friends this one questions, “If you died today and Jesus stood before you and he grabs your hand and says your name so softly and you can touch and hear him, smell his fragrance, and then he says to you, ‘My child, you were lost but I have found you. Will you come to my glorious Kingdom?’ would you believe in Him then?” At that very instant, everything that you have thought out during your existence on earth would be proven false. God would no longer be a “delusion” my friend but very real.

If energy is neither created nor destroyed, where did it come from? How did it come to exist? There is energy in everything. All matter has energy. The sun is a HUGE energy source. But God is vastly greater than the sun. He is the ultimate energy source. He is the alpha, the omega; the beginning, the end.

I read this and know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are not a parent.

Spanking is not automatically child abuse, especially when it is done in a loving manner as described by Dr. Dobson.

I spank as a last resort. In my daughter’s two years of life, I have only done it a handful of times.

Scanning the web, I see numerous articles linking spanking to low IQ. This amuses me, since my daughter is very advanced for her age and is, bar none, the top communicator in her class at day care.

If you think that spanking is child abuse, provide evidence for that. Simple argument by outrage does nothing to advance your case, and makes you look ignorant.

on 28 Feb 2010 at 2:12 am 4.3D said …

3.Cory said …

“I read this and know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are not a parent.”

Hahahaha! Yes because only real parents smack their kids around.

on 28 Feb 2010 at 10:04 pm 5.Mike Lee said …

It hurts my heart to read stuff like this. How much more does it hurt the heart of God who created you. He loves you. He is not a cruel God, He is merciful and just and loving. Repent, turn from your old ways, accept His forgiveness and walk in His truth.

One simple way to understand the grotesqueness that is ‘spanking’ is to simply reduce it to what it is: a series of hittings. Then, ask yourself this: if you or your partner in life, as adults, ever did something the other didn’t like, would you then be able to legitimately reason out that hitting your life partner repeatedly, such that it would cause unbearable pain, is humane, lawful, or acceptable?

Aside from whatever strange fancies one may have in the bedroom, is it at all acceptable to ever treat your partner in such a way that you could somehow justify repeatedly hitting your partner until s/he writhes helplessly in pain?

If you answered ‘no’ to either of those questions, then why would you find it allowable to spank (i.e., repeatedly hit) a child less capable of defending his/herself than an adult? Because you’re bigger and stronger? Does might make right? Is fear an appropriate catalyst to positive change?

I never spank my children, and they are supremely well-adjusted. They do not fear me, and they consistently show a high degree of consciousness of cause-and-effect relationships, and moral rights and wrongs.

on 01 Mar 2010 at 2:40 am 7.Rostam said …

“Is fear an appropriate catalyst to positive change?”

Yep because the alternative can be much much worse. Fear fire, fear water fear bears, etc. These no spanking parents led to the new generation of spoiled rotten kids prancing around our schools with a chip on their shoulder. They don’t fear their parents or anyone else. Thanks lazy parents.

on 01 Mar 2010 at 7:57 am 8.3D said …

:These no spanking parents led to the new generation of spoiled rotten kids prancing around our schools with a chip on their shoulder. They don’t fear their parents or anyone else. Thanks lazy parents.”

Or, the barbaric idiots who spank their kids lead to the rotten kids prancing around your schools with a chip on their shoulder, because they resent being hit all the time and want to beat the shit out of someone else for catharsis.

Hey, if we’re pulling “factual statements” out of our ass with no proof, I’m gonna join the fun.

on 01 Mar 2010 at 8:51 pm 9.spanking said …

As someone who was spanked when growing up, I can tell you that it had absolutely no effect on what I thought or did, it just made me try to figure out ways to do what I wanted without getting caught. Spanking is not an effective tool to teach, nor is it an effective tool to discipline.

About halfway through my childhood my mother found a much more effective way to discipline me and my siblings, and that was to write sentences. This was a much larger deterrent as well because unlike spanking the punishment took far longer(sometimes hours, depending on the amount I had to write). I hated this punishment, however it was far more effective in modifying my behavior than spanking ever was.

Also, for all those people who say that a light spanking once in awhile is ok, you may want to read the article. Its about beating your children until they end up in tears, not a light spanking.

on 01 Mar 2010 at 9:00 pm 10.Boz said …

As a teacher for 20 years, the kids who are spanked are the ones who feel cared for and behave much better as a general rule. Spanking is not the only means of punishment but should be one when necessary.

Demonizing parents who spank with love is mere stupidity. Ignore these at all cost.

Why don’t you try answering some of the tougher questions I’ve asked instead of simply relying on the weakest question in my post?

By way of critique, however, your parallel doesn’t fit. There’s no reason to teach your kids to ‘fear’ bears, fire, or water. There is only ever reason to respect their power, purpose, and place in this world. However, spanking forcibly educates a child to fear their parent, and uses that same fear as future incentive to avoid certain behaviours. Hardly the same thing.

on 04 Mar 2010 at 12:48 pm 12.Rostam said …

“However, spanking forcibly educates a child to fear their parent, and uses that same fear as future incentive to avoid certain behaviours.”

Let me address this for you. Hogwash!

I was spanked as a child and I have great respect, love and admiration for my father. I have heard testimony from numerous acquaintances with the same testimony. The problem with you and the other alarmist is that you equate the drunk father beating kid child with the loving father with a paddle in his hand. Lose the tunnel vision. You guys are just like the ant-gun crowd. You only see the bad guys.

When used as a deterrent in a loving way only for serious offenses it is quite appropriate.

on 11 Mar 2010 at 3:46 am 13.PDeverit said …

“The much-touted ‘biblical argument’ in support of corporal punishment is founded upon proof-texting a few isolated passages from Proverbs. Using the same method of selective scripture reading, one could also cite the Bible as an authority for the practice of slavery, adultery, polygamy, incest, suppression of women, executing people who eat pork, and infanticide. The brutal and vindictive practice of corporal punishment cannot be reconciled with the major New Testament themes that teach love and forgiveness and a respect for the sacredness and dignity of children, and which overwhelmingly reject violence and retribution as a means of solving human problems. Would Jesus ever hit a child? NEVER!”
The Rev. Thomas E. Sagendorf, United Methodist Clergy (Retired), Hamilton, Indiana. Personal communication, 2006.

“If we really want a peaceful and compassionate world, we need to build communities of trust where all children are respected, where home and school are safe places to be and where discipline is taught by example.”
Desmond M. Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, 2006. See http://www.nospank.net/globalreport.pdf

“I have always been an advocate for the total abolition of corporal punishment and I believe the connection with pornography that is so oriented has its roots in our tradition of beating children.”
Gordon Moyes, D. D., Pastor, Uniting Church, Superintendent of the Wesley Central Mission, Sydney, Australia. Excerpt from personal communication, 1980.

“I have never accepted the principle of ‘spare the rod and spoil the child.’… I am persuaded that violent fathers produce violent sons… Children don’t need beating. They need love and encouragement. They need fathers to whom they can look with respect rather than fear. Above all, they need example.”
Gordon B. Hinckley, President, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, October 1994 General Conference.

People used to think it was necessary to “spank” adult members of the community, military trainees, and prisoners. In some countries they still do. In our country, it is considered sexual battery if a person over the age of 18 is “spanked”, but only if over the age of 18.

For one thing, because the buttocks are so close to the genitals and so multiply linked to sexual nerve centers, striking them can trigger powerful and involuntary sexual stimulus in some people. There are numerous physiological ways in which it can be sexually abusive, but I won’t list them all here. One can use the resources I’ve posted if they want to learn more.

on 11 Mar 2010 at 3:47 am 15.PDeverit said …

Child buttock-battering vs. DISCIPLINE:

Child buttock-battering (euphemistically labeled “spanking”,”swatting”,”switching”,”smacking”, “paddling”,or other cute-sounding names) for the purpose of gaining compliance is nothing more than an inherited bad habit.

Its a good idea for people to take a look at what they are doing, and learn how to DISCIPLINE instead of hit.

I think the reason why television shows like “Supernanny” and “Dr. Phil” are so popular is because that is precisely what many (not all) people are trying to do.

There are several reasons why child bottom-slapping isn’t a good idea. Here are some good, quick reads recommended by professionals:

Plain Talk About Spanking
by Jordan Riak,

The Sexual Dangers of Spanking Children
by Tom Johnson,

NO VITAL ORGANS THERE, So They Say
by Lesli Taylor M.D. and Adah Maurer Ph.D.

Most compelling of all reasons to abandon this worst of all bad habits is the fact that buttock-battering can be unintentional sexual abuse for some children. There is an abundance of educational resources, testimony, documentation, etc available on the subject that can easily be found by doing a little research with the recommended reads-visit the website of Parents and Teachers Against Violence In Education at http://www.nospank.net.

Just a handful of those helping to raise awareness of why child bottom-slapping isn’t a good idea:

American Academy of Pediatrics,
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
American Psychological Association,
Center For Effective Discipline,
Churches’ Network For Non-Violence,
Nobel Peace Prize recipient Archbishop Desmond Tutu,
Parenting In Jesus’ Footsteps,
Global Initiative To End All Corporal Punishment of Children,
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In 26 countries, child corporal punishment is prohibited by law (with more in process). In fact, the US was the only UN member that did not ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

on 11 Mar 2010 at 2:46 pm 16.Max said …

PD,

If you showed the same concern for partial-birth abortions and child rapist (6mos – 1yr prison terms)as you do for a loving parent giving their child a whipping, you my carry some credibility. Then again, maybe not.
My experience is the anti-spanking crowd never has problems with aborting young children or with the rulings of the activist lunatic judges in our nation.

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